Jay-Jay's POV
"Hoy, gumising ka na," Aries shouted from outside my door.
(Hey, wake up already.)
I groaned and buried my face deeper into the pillow.
"Five minutes…"
"You said that ten minutes ago."
I grabbed my pillow and threw it toward the door dramatically.
"Your aim sucks," Aries laughed outside.
"Get out!" I shouted back.
A few seconds later, I heard him laughing while walking downstairs.
I stayed in bed for another minute before finally forcing myself up.
Honestly, waking up early should be illegal.
After getting ready, I walked downstairs while fixing my hair lazily. Aries was already near the door waiting while Ella sat beside him eating chips at literally seven in the morning.
I stared at her in disbelief.
"How are you eating this early?"
Ella shrugged innocently. "I got hungry."
"She's been eating since six," Aries exposed immediately.
Ella gasped dramatically. "Traitor."
I laughed quietly before grabbing toast from the kitchen.
The ride to school was peaceful for once.
No chaos.
No screaming.
No weird mood.
Just soft music inside the car while Aries complained about traffic every five minutes.
But the moment we reached school?
Yeah. Peace disappeared immediately.
Students everywhere.
People yelling across hallways.
Someone literally running while holding papers.
Normal Lotus Academy behavior.
"JAY-JAY!"
I sighed immediately.
There he goes.
Cin came running toward me dramatically while Felix followed behind him looking completely done already.
"You're embarrassing," I told Cin the second he reached us.
"And yet I'm still your favorite."
"That confidence is dangerous."
Felix snorted beside him. "He's been annoying everyone since morning."
"That's fake news."
"You literally sang loudly in the hallway."
"That was art."
"That was suffering," Felix corrected.
I laughed quietly while we walked toward Section E together.
Honestly, mornings with them were never peaceful.
But somehow…
That's what made them fun.
The moment we entered the classroom, chaos welcomed us immediately.
Someone throwing paper airplanes.
Someone copying homework last minute.
Two boys arguing loudly at the back.
Same old Section E.
I dropped my bag onto my chair while Cin sat backwards in front of me.
"So…"
"No."
"I didn't even say anything yet."
"I know that tone."
Felix laughed quietly while sitting beside us. "She knows you too well."
Cin placed a hand dramatically over his chest. "Nobody trusts me in this classroom."
"Because you're suspicious."
Before he could answer, the teacher entered the room and everyone rushed back to their seats immediately.
The entire morning passed normally.
Teachers explaining lessons.
Students barely listening.
Section E being loud for absolutely no reason.
By lunch break, everybody rushed toward the cafeteria immediately.
I was already eating when Rakki suddenly dropped into the empty seat beside me dramatically.
"Move."
"You're literally the one sitting," I replied.
"Details."
A few seconds later, Mica arrived too while holding drinks.
Behind her was Calix.
Of course.
The moment Calix sat beside her, Cin immediately straightened up in his seat.
And suddenly—
This boy cared about his appearance.
Interesting.
Felix noticed too because he immediately started grinning.
"Oh?" he said slowly. "Look who's acting normal suddenly."
Cin glared at him instantly. "Shut up."
Rakki blinked between them. "Why are you talking like that?"
"Nothing," Cin answered way too quickly.
Mica looked confused while Calix just wrapped an arm around her chair casually.
And somehow Cin looked even more annoyed after seeing that.
Oh.
OH.
I looked at Felix.
Felix looked at me.
And immediately we both started trying not to laugh.
Cin noticed. "Don't."
"Don't what?" I asked innocently.
"Whatever you're thinking."
Felix was literally struggling to hold his laugh now.
Rakki still looked confused. "Am I missing something?"
"Yes," Cin muttered darkly.
Calix looked between all of us suspiciously. "Why does it feel like everyone knows something except us?"
"Because that's exactly what's happening," Felix replied calmly.
Cin kicked his chair under the table immediately.
"Ow—"
I lost it after that.
Even Mica started laughing quietly while Rakki kept demanding explanations from everybody.
And honestly?
Sitting there in the noisy cafeteria with all of them laughing, arguing, and acting completely insane felt nice.
Simple.
Warm.
Like for a little while…
Everything was normal again.
(Hi Empires I also have a YouTube channel sooo plzzz check out NAME: JASPERXEMPIRE
I also left a photo in comment box of my profile pictures
Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee empires 💖)